The Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) presidential candidate, Nuhu Ribadu, yesterday, said he did not feel threatened by either the collapse of alliance talks between his party and the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), or the overwhelming endorsement being enjoyed by the PDP presidential candidate, Goodluck Jonathan.
Mr. Ribadu, who made the statement in Abuja while fielding questions from journalists at a world press conference tagged, ‘Farewell To Nostalgia', said though the alliance talks have collapsed, Nigerians still believe in the ACN.
"I don't feel threatened by any party's endorsing Goodluck because we have also got endorsement of 12 parties. What matters is Nigerians' endorsement, those who are going to vote on Saturday, and that is why we are pleading to Nigerians to vote wisely because PDP is a continuation of the rot we are currently experiencing," Mr. Ribadu said.
Although he agreed that he had earlier offered to step down for the CPC presidential candidate, Muhammadu Buhari, he clarified that he did not eventually do so.
"There was no stepping down; offer is a different thing. During the negotiation, offers were made by both sides. ACN made a big sacrifice and the other side made a promise and failed to deliver.
"So, that is the cause of the failure of the alliance and that is why I still maintain that I am the candidate. I am standing and asking Nigerians to vote for me because I did not step down for anybody," he said.
Art of rigging
Mr. Ribadu noted that in the history of elections in Nigeria, electoral malpractices have become the most formidable huddle that had stood against electing a truly representative and responsible government, and cautioned against tampering with votes in the remaining elections.
"In last week's National Assembly election, the same challenge reared its ugly head again and the main perpetrators are the same gifted captains in the art of election rigging and manipulation.
"They are roaming the streets about now, getting set for action, and if they did it last week, we would all be naïve to imagine that they would yield on this criminal and unpatriotic act and go on vacation this coming Saturday," he said.
He called on Nigerians to vote wisely in order to ensure that a credible leader emerged in the poll.
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